5 strategies for getting reluctant readers reading
Teaching a child to read is one thing. But after helping them to crack the alphabetic code and start decoding, there is still the matter of building up fluency. Continuing to read and practice is key for kids (and adults) to become faster and more fluent readers. Reading more also allows for continued exposure to new vocabulary, grammatical structures, and the exciting worlds that exist in books. Here are a few tips for getting reluctant early readers building their fluency and reading more books.
A brief plug: Check out my other resources while you’re here - we have a blog full of reading lists, fun activities for extra practice, and even a few recipes. Now, let’s talk strategies!
You pick the time, let them pick the content.
All reading is good reading. If they want to read their favorite book again, that is okay! If they are interested in comics, the newspaper, a cereal box, all of it counts as practice reading. You can set a time aside every day or every week that is dedicated to reading, but let them pick what they read. You can expand on favorite books or topics, to support them in trying new books outside of their memorized favorites, but give them the freedom to pick and this will help them tolerate (and hopefully, eventually enjoy) the reading time. In Dr. Sally Shaywitz’s monumental book, Overcoming Dyslexia, she talked about giving a talk with the famous financier Charles Schwab. He has dyslexia and he described how slowly he would read a book and how difficult it was, but give him the Wall Street Journal and he could breeze right through. We’ve all had those books that captivate us and keep us reading, and those are the books we want to help our kids to find. Follow their lead, and stay tuned for more book lists based on specific interests!
Keep it short.
For early readers, especially those with dyslexia or other reading challenges, reading is HARD! We have to help them build up their stamina and tolerance for reading. I recently started exercising again after avoiding it for more months than I care to admit. Starting has been tough, and I am really having to push myself to actually do my workouts each week. But I know that this initial intolerance and heavier impact on my will power lightens as I get stronger and as the workouts become habit. We are doing the same with reading. Building the habit is tough and we need to meet our kids where they are. The hard thing will get easier as they build fluency and get into the rhythm of reading. I’m not going to give a specific time limit here, you know your kids. Let it be short, and bring them into the conversation. How much reading time do they think they can tolerate? Find the number that works for your family and help them to stick to it so they can build up to reading more and actually enjoy it!
Read with them.
Reading with your kids, and reading aloud to your kids, are both so helpful for getting reluctant readers reading. If your kids are getting older, don’t stop those read aloud times! Older kids still love picture books, and there are so many great ones out there. Go to the library and find a few books that look fun to your family, or check out my recommendations for chapter books and picture books, and pick a time each week to read together. You can take turns reading, or have designated days for read aloud time and other days where it is their time to read.
Schedule these reading blocks and keep the days and times as consistent as possible to help with habit building. While you’re reading with your kids, practice guided reading strategies like stopping to talk about part of the story, relating it to something in your own life, or pointing out specific vocabulary or plot points. This is helping to infuse comprehension and build those other literacy skills that will eventually make reading easier.
Add literacy adjacent activities.
These make reading more fun and improve narrative language skills! You’re helping immerse your child in the story for increased comprehension, and they are getting the chance to talk about and retell the stories they are reading in meaningful ways. A few of my favorite literacy adjacent or book extension activities are making a recipe related to the book, going on a book themed scavenger hunt or nature walk, or doing a craft related to the book. You could also try visiting a place from the book. If the character went to a farmer’s market, you could pick a time to visit your local market. I also consider themes related to whatever is going on in our lives, and use books to talk about them. For example, if your child is headed back to school, grab a few back-to-school themed books in the weeks leading up to the big day. These activities don’t need to be complicated and they don’t need to be long, just give yourself the space to talk about what you’re reading and have fun with it!
Model reading.
Our kids want to do what they see us doing, and are more likely to do things that they have been exposed to regularly. If reading is a natural part of life that they see everyone around them doing, this will support them in building the habit themselves. Make reading a part of your life to support them in making reading a part of their lives. Read in front of them, talk about what you’re reading, throw on an audiobook in the car, write a letter to a friend, read the ingredients on a food label. All reading counts!
Bonus tip
Comprehension is critical for keeping growing readers reading. If they are not understanding what they are reading, they are going to be significantly less likely to keep reading. This is why reading comprehension is one of the keys to literacy and teaching reading, and should not be neglected. Want to know the other keys? Check out this post.
As a reminder, none of this information is meant as a replacement for speech therapy or reading interventions, and if your child is struggling with reading I encourage you to seek help. Talk to your pediatrician, your local school district, or a speech-language pathologist or other literacy and reading-focused professional.